Water-meter.



A. BLAUVELT.

WATER METER.

APPLICATION 11.21) 0014. 1911.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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A. BLAUVBLT.

WATER METER.

APPLICATION FILED 00124. 1911.

1 ,1 22,467, Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT BLAUVELT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATER-METER.

Application filed October 4, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT BLAUVELT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ater-Meters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to meters such as are employed in the city or town water mains where unusual demands may be made upon the system at certain times, as for example in case of fire. \Vhen such emergencies arise it is of little or no importance that the flow of water be measured but on the other hand it is of the utmost importance that the flow of water be restricted as little as possible. To the normal flow of water a meter presents comparatively little obstruction but it provides a more serious resistance to an unusual flow of water and especially is this the case owing to the fact that the increased flow stirs up and carries along more or less foreign matter such as floating hemp, dead leaves, etc., which normally lies at rest along the bottom of the conduit or main but which when borne along by the unusual flow is trapped within and clogs the meter still further diminishing the flow of water. Of course it is possible to protect the meter by a strainer and this is sometimes done, but in that event the strainer itself becomes clogged and acts as an obstruction to the desirable free flow of water.

It is the object of my invention to obviate this disadvantage in the employment of meters in the public or other large mains and with this purpose I have devised a meter which is so mounted in the conduit that it normally receives the full flow in the conduit and meters the same as it passes therethrough; but in the event of an extraordinary pressure due to an emergency use of the pipes or in the event of the meter becoming clogged it automatically retreats from its position in the conduit and thereby permits the free passage of water.

My invention is shown in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application but it will be understood that it is not limited to this specific form which is illustrated and described for the purpose of enabling the invention to be more readily and completely understood, but the invention itself is of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

Serial No. 852,767.

broader scope and may be embodied in a great variety of apparatus as will be obvious from the followin description and claims which latter determine the scope of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents in central vertical section a casing adapted to be interposed in the line of the conduit and containing my invention the adjacent conduit sections being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a cross section upon the line 22 of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4: are details to be explained later.- v

Referring more especially to Figs. 1 and 2 the casting 5 embodies a conduit section 6 having flanges 7 for attachment to the neighboring sections of conduit 88 shown in dotted lines. t a suitable point in the length of the conduit is formed an inclined seat 9 which is rabbeted as at 10 for the reception of a ring seat 11 upon which is normally seated the meter 12. The latter may be of any usual or approved construction and is shown only diagrammatically since its specific construction forms no part of my invention. It is, however, provided with perforated lugs 13 by which it is hinged to the lugs ll cast within the easing, a pin 16 forming the pivot of the joint. The casting 5 also forms an upwardly extending chamber 17 into which the pivoted meter retreats when it is swung upward from its seat. A hand hole 18 provided with a cover 19 gives access to the interior of the casing and the cover is secured in place by bolts 20. Upon the casing is also mounted a dial mechanism (not shown) inclosed within a housing 21 which is screw threaded at its lower endas at 22 and secured within a tapped opening in a plate 23 covering an opening 24 in the casing. Screws 25 secure the plate in position. A flexible shaft 26 connects the meter with the indicator or dial and not only the meter but also the shaft and indicator mechanism are shown conventionally since their specific construction is obvious to those skilled in the art and forms no part of the present invention. On its under-face the meter is preferably formed with a ground seating ring 27 which matches withacorrespondingly ground face upon the ring seat 11 and a strainer or refuse catcher 28' is also secured to the lower face of the meter to prevent leaves or other refuse from passing through the conduit when the meter leaves its seat to the detriment 'or damage of the nozzles or other apparatus that may be used beyond the meter.

In Fig. 1 the meter is shownin dotted lines in its raised position and it willbe apparent that by cutting OK the water, access may be obtained to the meter for cleaning or other purposes through the hand hole 18. Within the seating face of the ring seat 11 is formed an annular shallow groove 28, see Figs. 1 and 3, and surrounding the periphery of the ring seat is a groove 29 the two grooves being connected by intermediate passages 30 formed at suitable intervals. Vithin a boss 31 on the casting is atapped bore 32 which receives the-coupling of a small meter 33 and communicates with the circumferential groove of the seat ring.

The small meter33 may be open to the at mosphere or connected to any drain which Will receive the water flowingtherethrough. Under normal conditions the water on the influx side 34: of the casting and the efliux side 35 is under substantially the same pressure or at least the pressure difference is so slight as to be immaterial. Any water which penetrates to the groove 28 within the seat ring mayv immediately flow off or at least lose its pressure by reason of the ready outlet'through the meter 33. It follows that there isa differential pressure upon the main meter by reason of the greater area exposed to the, pressure of'the water on the eillux side as compared with that exposed to pressure upon the influx side and the difference in pressure is suflicient to hold the meter firmly to its seat under all except abnormal conditions. When, however, water is drawn in large quantitiesfrom the system at a point beyond the meter as for example in the case of fire or if themeter becomes so clogged as to not permit the ready flow of water therethrough, the pressure upon the eifiux side becomes diminished to such a point as compared to that on the influx side that the meter is raised from its seat and held Within the upper chamber portion "of the'casting by the flow of water. The passage of water through the seat 9is then practically unobstructed though of course it is not measured by the meter, and i urthermore the water then has free access to the groove 1n the seating ring whence 1t flows to the small meter and is measured.

In this manner: a comparatively accurate record is made of the time that the main meter 1S away from 1ts seat.

bris and clogging for it gives awarning thereof, it being understood that the small meter is so locatedin actualpractice as'to bereacl ly' observed.

It will be obvious that by my'invention no branch pipe and but little modification of the ordinary Water main is required, the

apparatus is not bulky and .yet it meters i the water under normal conditions effectively while presenting no obstruction to,

abnormalfiow, and relieving automatically a clogged condition of'the meter.

I claim:

1. In a water system, a conduit, a seat encircling the water passage thereof, a water meter normally engaging the seatarranged to receive the flow of water in the conduit,

provided with the trash catcher 28 and if adapted to be forced away from its seatby excess differential pressure upon the lnlet side of the meter,-and means whereby. the

meter is movably mounted in theconduit.

2. In a water system, a main, a seat-encircling the main, a meter hinged to the main normally engaging the seat, and arranged to receive the flow of water-in the main, an indicator mounted upon the main and a flexible shaft connecting the indicator and the meter.

3. In a water system, a conduit sect on having anannular seat encircling its water passage, there being a groove formed in v the faceof the seat, and passages leading from the groove to the exterior ofthe section, a watermeterengaging the seat and.

arranged to receive the flow of waterin the conduit but mounted to retreat from the seat under excess difi'erentialinlet pressure, and an indicator connected tothe meter, I ALBERT BLAUVELTQ \Vitnesses:

CHRIST Nrssnn, Mrs. C. M. BROWN;

Copies of thiapatent may be obtainediorfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of l atents Washington, D. Q. 

